Many Windows-based operating systems allow a user to swap between running applications by using the ALT+TAB key combination. This combination causes a display window to appear which includes graphical icons for all the currently running applications. By holding down the ALT key while repeatedly pressing the TAB key, a user may cycle through the graphical icons until she reaches the icon corresponding to the running application she wishes to view. As the user cycles through the icons, each successive icon is highlighted. An exemplary highlight mark is a box-outline around the icon. Upon reaching the desired icon, the user may release the ALT+TAB key combination and the currently displayed application is swapped with a new application corresponding to the desired icon.
However, a concern with these systems occurs when the user has a large number of applications running at once. In this case, the user may have to press the TAB key numerous times before reaching the desired icon and swapping to the desired application. In one instance, the user may wish to access a reference window, e.g., an API browser, that is running, but not accessed often. When the user does need to access the reference window, the user wishes to do so quickly. However, the user must press the TAB key numerous times to reach the reference window icon. In another instance, the user may wish to return to a recently viewed application. In some Windows-based operating systems, if the user previously minimized the application windows using the WINDOWS_KEY+M key combination (e.g., in order to access data stored on the desktop) and then used the ALT+TAB key combination, the graphical icons of the most recently viewed applications appear last in the display window. Hence, the user is forced to tab through the entire list before reaching the desired icon. Additionally, if the user cycles through the list too quickly and passes over the desired icon, the user must now awkwardly press the SHIFT key, in addition to holding down the ALT key and pressing the TAB key, in order to tab backward to the desired icon. Or the user must tab forward through the entire list again until reaching the desired icon. These waste time and effort. As a result, the intended effectiveness of the ALT+TAB key combination is reduced.
As an alternative to the ALT+TAB generated display window, some systems provide a taskbar for listing the currently running applications. The taskbar is generally disposed across the bottom of the display screen and provides an application icon for each running application. The user typically uses the mouse to click on an application icon to view the corresponding application.
However, there is still a concern when the user has a large number of applications running at once. The width of the taskbar is limited to the width of the display screen. Thus, the width of each application icon is limited to an equally divisible portion of the taskbar. The more applications running, the greater the number of icons to fit on the taskbar and, hence, the narrower each icon width. So, where there are several applications running, the corresponding icons on the taskbar are too narrow for the user to read. The user instead must move the mouse over each icon as an information window pops up and displays an application descriptor. Or the user must click on the icon and display the application in order to identify it. Alternatively, the user may extend the height of the taskbar to provide multiple rows for the application icons. However, the more applications running, the greater the taskbar height and, hence, the less available display space on the screen. None of these options are ideal, all wasting time and effort.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a method to quickly and easily swap between currently running applications.